R13 GRANT APPLICATION ACADEMIC PEDIATRIC ASSOCIATION 15th ANNUAL RETREAT OF SCHOLARS IN PEDIATRIC ENVIRONMENTAL HEALTH (PEH) RESEARCH Abstract The Academic Pediatric Association requests support for the 15th Annual Retreat of Scholars in Pediatric Environmental Health (PEH). This retreat, convened annually since 2002, brings together research Fellows (MDs and PhDs) from training programs across the US under the mentorship of a faculty comprised of senior leaders in the field. The goals are to advance Fellows? careers, foster research collaborations and build a critical mass of researchers in PEH who will become the field?s future leaders. The retreat has been very successful in advancing the careers of participating Fellows and in building PEH. A systematic survey of all 29 Fellows who attended one or more retreats between 2006 and 2010 found that they have produced a total of 299 scientific papers on topics relevant to PEH and that 17 (58.6%) have been awarded a total of 23 grants and cooperative agreements: five K23 grants, two R21 grants, five K99/R00 grants, five RO1 grants, one T35 grant, four cooperative agreements, and one award as Core Director in an NIEHS P30 Center grant. Retreat participants are populating the field of PEH. A follow-up survey documents that 85% of past attendees are currently pursuing careers in PEH. They are Independent Investigators in Environmental Health Research, industry researchers, PEHSU Directors, Directors of Pediatric Residency Programs and CDC epidemiologists. The 15th annual retreat will take place in Washington DC on January 6-8, 2017. The theme is Research to Action in Pediatric Environmental Health?, inspired by the NIEHS? work in this area and recent events in Flint Michigan. Each Fellow will make a structured, 10-minute presentation of either planned research (first-year Fellows) or work in progress (second- and third-years). Each presentation will be followed by a rigorous and constructive faculty-led discussion. Guest lectures and seminars relevant to the retreat theme will be interspersed throughout the weekend. The entire program will be evaluated by both fellows and faculty, and evaluation data will be used to improve future retreats. 1